Best Hometowns 2013–2014: Loveland

Year founded: 1876Location: The intersection of Hamilton, Clermont and Warren counties, 23 miles north of CincinnatiPopulation: 12,081Size: 5 square milesLocal Flavor: Loveland’s mayor is asked to preside over about 40
weddings a year by couples who want to be married in the town known as
“Valentine City” and “Sweetheart of Ohio.”
Shawn and Chandra Custis have an eye for places with promise. He’s a
mortgage broker by profession, and the couple owns various commercial
and residential properties around Cincinnati.

They moved to Loveland nearly 15 years ago, but it wasn’t until 2004
that they set their sights on the former West Loveland Elementary
School. Built in the 1800s, the building was renovated for the Clifton
Shirt Factory in 1948 before the business went dormant in 2001.

It wasn’t in great condition or located in a spot prime for
redevelopment, but the Custises bought the building anyway. The couple
hoped to turn the property into an antique mall, but first they rented a
portion of it to glass and metals artist Mary Karg. That decision
changed everything.

“After [Mary] opened her space, we started hearing from other artists,”
recalls Shawn Custis. "[They were asking], ‘hey, can I have one too?’ ”

Plans for an antique mall were quickly revised, and the couple opened
Loveland Art Studios on Main in 2005. The former school now houses
studio space for 42 artists, and around half of them live in town.
“Loveland is becoming a bedroom community for artists,” says Shawn
Custis. “They aren’t just bringing their studios here; they’re moving
here for their art.”

The influx of artists is just one of the changes Loveland has seen over
the past decade or so, but the community has always had a lot going for
it. About 30 minutes north of Cincinnati, with easy access to I-71 and
I-275, it’s an ideal home for commuters. The Little Miami State and
National Scenic River runs through town, with plenty of spaces to skip
rocks, canoe or have a riverside picnic. Loveland is also one of the
more lively stops along the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail, which runs
75 miles from Springfield to Newtown.

“We have a real balance of small-community feel with growth and
development,” explains Mayor Robert Weisgerber, a 30-year resident.

About 15 years ago, Loveland’s city council set out to do more to
capitalize on its historic downtown. Filled with buildings built in the
1800s when Loveland was a stop on the Little Miami Railroad, the area
had become dominated with what Weisgerber refers to as “junktique”
shops.

In order to recreate a slower, small-town feel, city council took the
road that runs through downtown from four lanes to two. They also
reduced on-street parking in favor of bumping out the sidewalks to
create outdoor seating for downtown restaurants.

The plan worked — the bike trail crossing is easier to navigate, patios
at Tano and Paxton’s Grill are full on summer afternoons and evenings,
and little shops such as Loveland Sweets are cropping up nearby.

That has translated into new residential development and an increasingly
affluent population; Median household income is nearly $75,000, and a
recent search of available homes with Loveland addresses revealed 54
properties listed at $500,000 or more. Loveland City Schools have
consistently earned “excellent” or “excellent with distinction” rankings
from the state over the last decade and have a 94 percent graduation
rate.

Loveland will soon break ground on River Trail Flats, a new mixed-use
development in the historic downtown, which will add additional retail
and apartment living to the area. The city is also working on plans for
new residential housing for seniors nearby.

“This used to be a resort community along the railroad, and that feel is
coming back,” says Weisgerber. “People want to be here.”